Abstract: A scanning electron microscope suitable for imaging samples in a non-vacuum environment, the scanning electron microscope including an electron source located within an enclosure maintained under vacuum, an electron permeable membrane disposed at an opening of the enclosure separating an environment within the enclosure which is maintained under vacuum and an environment outside the enclosure which is not maintained under vacuum, the electron permeable membrane not being electrically grounded and at least one non-grounded electrode operative as an electron detector.

Abstract: A computed-tomography (CT) apparatus that includes a CT scanner including an X-ray source, a plurality of photon-counting detectors (PCDs) arranged in a fixed detector ring to capture incident X-ray photons emitted from the X-ray source, and control circuitry configured to move at least one PCD of the plurality of PCDs, from a first position to a second position, in response to receiving an instruction to perform a scanogram scan of an object.

Abstract: Adhesive compositions are described which can be selectively detackified or deadened. Articles using such adhesive compositions are also described. Also described are techniques in which select regions of adhesive layers in the articles are detackified. Also described are systems and methods using the various articles and adhesive compositions. And particular label constructions are described.

Abstract: A cross-sectional shape or a three-dimensional shape of a circuit pattern is estimated and evaluated only from a planar image of the circuit pattern observed from the above of a wafer.

Abstract: The present invention enables a sample to be observed in a clean state directly after preparation of a final observation surface when preparing a sample for observing a material that is sensitive to heat.

Abstract: An X-ray tube device according to the present invention includes a cathode generating an electron beam, an anode generating an X-ray by collision of the electron beam from the cathode, an envelope internally housing the cathode and the anode, a magnetic field generator including a magnetic pole arranged to be opposed to the envelope, generating a magnetic field for focusing and deflecting the electron beam from the cathode to the anode, and an electric field relaxing electrode arranged between the magnetic pole and the envelope, having an outer surface having a rounded shape. Thus, the magnetic field generator can be placed closer to the envelope while a tip end of the magnetic field generator is suppressed from being a discharge start point, and hence the effect of being capable of downsizing the X-ray tube device is achieved.

Abstract: An ion mobility analyzer, combination device thereof, and ion mobility analysis method. The ion mobility analyzer comprises an electrode system that surrounds the analytical space and a power device that attaches to the electrode system an ion mobility electric potential field that moves along one space axis. During the process of analyzing mobility of ions to be measured, by always placing the ions to be measured in the moving ion mobility electric potential field, and keeping the movement direction of the ion mobility electric potential field consistent with the direction of the electric field on the ions to be measured within the ion mobility electric potential field, theoretically a mobility path of an infinite length can be formed so as to distinguish ions having mobility or ion cross sections that have very small differences.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for determining the source of hydrocarbons presented in the pores of a host rock or found in contaminated groundwater. The method includes the steps of (a) determining a first isotopic composition of boron and/or lithium in one or more components within a potential source rock sample, such as kerogen, clay, or water; (b) determining a second isotopic composition of boron and/or lithium in the hydrocarbons found within the pores of a host rock sample or in contaminated groundwater; and (c) comparing the first and second isotopic compositions to determine whether the potential source rock is the source of the hydrocarbons within the pores of the host rock or in contaminated groundwater.

Abstract: A method of producing electrons via photoemission comprising providing diamond doped p-type with boron, treating a surface of the diamond by exposing it to atomic hydrogen inside an ultrahigh vacuum chamber, illuminating the surface with photons, and extracting the photoemitted electrons. A chemically stable visible light photoemission electron source comprising a diamond film having a surface terminated with hydrogen and a light source.

Abstract: Compressed data of mass spectra obtained at respective measurement points and normalization coefficients for XIC normalization or the like are stored in a memory (21). When a normalized imaging graphic at a specific m/z value is to be displayed, a data decompression processor (23) reads the minimally required set of compressed data from the memory (21) and restores the intensity value corresponding to the m/z value at each measurement point. A normalizing calculation processor (29) reads an XIC normalization coefficient corresponding to the m/z value from the memory (21) and corrects the intensity values at each measurement point by multiplying those values by the coefficient. An imaging graphic creation processor (27) assigns a display color to each of the corrected intensity values to create an imaging graphic, and displays the imaging graphic on the screen of a display unit (6).

Abstract: An apparatus for mass spectrometry includes a laser ablation sampler comprising a laser ablation chamber and a laser which produces a laser beam. The laser irradiates and ablates a material from a sample placed within the laser ablation chamber so as to generate an ablated sample material. A transfer tube system comprising transfer tubes connect the laser ablation sample with, and provides a parallel and simultaneous transport of the ablated sample material to, each of a soft and a hard ionization source. The soft and hard ionization sources interact with the ablated sample material to respectively generate ion populations having a mass-to-charge ratio distribution. These respective mass-to-charge ratio distributions are respectively transmitted to a molecular mass spectrometer and to an elemental mass spectrometer which provide information on the mass-to-charge ratio distribution. The mass-to-charge ratio distributions are used to characterize a composition of the ablated sample material.

Abstract: A method for performing high resolution electron microscopy of a soft matter object is described. The method comprises irradiating a soft matter object using an electron microscope having a spherical aberration correction with a substantially constant transfer function in a frequency band of thermal diffuse scattered electrons scattered at the soft matter object. The method comprises detecting the thermal diffuse scattered (TDS) electrons scattered at the soft matter, and using the detected thermal diffuse scattered electrons for deriving therefrom an image of the soft matter object.

Abstract: A substrate is irradiated by primary electrons and secondary electrons generated from the substrate are detected by a detector. A reference die is placed on the stage to obtain a pattern matching template image including feature coordinates of the reference die. A pattern matching is performed with an arbitrary die in a row or column including the reference die using the template image to obtain feature coordinates of the arbitrary die. An angle of misalignment is calculated between the direction of the row or column including the reference die and one of the directions of movement of the substrate on the basis of the feature coordinates of the arbitrary die and those of the reference die. The stage is rotated to correct the angle of misalignment to conform the direction of the row or column including the reference die with the one of the directions of movement of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for assisted positioning of an organ is provided. An acquisition system comprises a platform underneath which a detector is placed for the acquisition of radiographic medical images, during which a radiation source is moved over different successive positions with respect to the detector, wherein at least one medical image is acquired at each position of the radiation source. The method comprises illuminating the platform with a light source of the acquisition system to assist the positioning of the organ on the platform; and determining, with a drive unit of the acquisition system, a positioning limit on the platform based on the distance separating the platform and a compression paddle used to compress the organ and based on the position of the light source relative to the detector, wherein the positioning limit on the platform is a limit beyond which the organ must not lie.

Abstract: An apparatus to control an ion beam for treating a substrate. The apparatus may include a fixed electrode configured to conduct the ion beam through a fixed electrode aperture and to apply a fixed electrode potential to the ion beam, a ground electrode assembly disposed downstream of the fixed electrode. The ground electrode assembly may include a base and a ground electrode disposed adjacent the fixed electrode and configured to conduct the ion beam through a ground electrode aperture, the ground electrode being reversibly movable along a first axis with respect to the fixed electrode between a first position and a second position, wherein a beam current of the ion beam at the substrate varies when the ground electrode moves between the first position and second position.

Abstract: An irradiation plan for a particle irradiation unit is determined in a first run based on a specified target volume in a test object and a specified dose distribution to apply the particle beam in the target volume. The target volume includes a plurality of isoenergy layers. The irradiation plan may be determined in a second run with an additional condition that at least one of the isoenergy layers, determined according to one or more criteria, is not irradiated. Alternatively, the irradiation plan may be determined in a second run with an additional condition that only certain isoenergy layers, determined according to one or more criteria, are irradiated.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for detecting, identifying, classifying and/or quantifying chemical species in a gas flow using a micro-fabricated ion filter coupled to a system adapted to apply drive signals to the ion filter. Coupled to the ion filter is a system adapted to measure the output of the ion filter, which in turn is coupled to a system adapted to extract numerical parameters from the measured output of the ion filter to facilitate chemical detection, identification, classification and/or quantification of the gas flow.

Abstract: An evacuation structure of a charged particle beam device includes: a vacuum chamber provided with a charged particle source; vacuum piping connected to the vacuum chamber; a main vacuum pump which is connected via the vacuum piping and evacuates the inside of the vacuum chamber; a non-evaporable getter pump disposed at a position between the vacuum chamber and the main vacuum pump in the vacuum piping; and a coarse evacuation port connected at a position between the vacuum chamber and the non-evaporable getter pump in the vacuum piping The coarse evacuation port includes: a coarse evacuation valve that opens and closes the coarse evacuation port; and a leak valve to open the vacuum chamber to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A scanning candidate route extracting unit which extracts plural candidates of scanning routes in which each of the scanning routes connects all spot positions in one layer is provided, in an evaluation function using necessary scanning time Tk and weight coefficient wk for a kth partial route among partial routes which are routes between the spot positons which are adjacent on one of the plural candidates of scanning routes, and number n of spot in the layer, wk with respect to a partial route which passes through affected tissue is set to be 1, wk with respect to a partial route which passes through normal tissue is set to be bigger than 1, and wk with respect to a partial route which passes through an important internal organ is set to be bigger than wk with respect to a partial route which passes through normal tissue.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source is provided. The EUV light source comprises a spray nozzle array having a plurality of spray nozzles configured to spray a plurality of rows of droplets to an irradiating position. The EUV light source also includes a laser source having a first reflective mirror and a second reflective mirror configured to generate a first laser beam and a second laser beam, and to cause the first laser beam and the second laser beam to sequentially bombard the plurality of droplets arriving at the irritating position to generate EUV light with increased output power. Further, the EUV light source includes a light focusing device a light focusing device comprising a first partial focusing mirror and a second partial focusing mirror configured to perform a rotating scanning to collect EUV light and focus the collected EUV light at a central focusing point.